Most Popular Gay Rights Posts
Gay Native Americans Reclaim Two-Spirit Culture
Published November 24, 2009 @ 09:34AM PT
The Navajo used the word “nádleehí” to describe people who embodied both masculine and feminine traits. They were among the hundreds of Native communities that celebrated and revered tribe members who lived outside binary male/female restrictions. As today’s Native communities fight to revitalize the culture that was beaten out of them, gay and transgender Natives are reclaiming this aspect of their ancestry by identifying as two-spirit –- a unifying term that serves as a catch-all for the many variations of sexuality and gender identity.
Two-spirit people were seen as a gift in Native American culture, viewed as a third gender with a heightened spiritual connectedness and a significant role to play. However, the forced Western colonization injected tribal communities with strong anti-gay attitudes that, for the most part, continue to reign supreme today. As two-spirits try to reclaim their historical culture, it is vital for the LGBT community to start paying attention to history as well.
I had the honor of speaking with seasoned two-spirit activist Richard LaFortune, whose wisdom made it painfully clear how shortsighted the LGBT civil rights movement has become. While much of the current focus is on the state-by-state status of legal relationship recognition, LaFortune reveals that many Native cultures enjoyed marriage equality for same-sex couples well before European settlers arrived. It isn’t surprising that anti-gay activists didn’t bother to consult Native American history before constantly regurgitating “marriage has always been between one man and one woman” talking points.
About 1,700 Reasons Why We Needed Hate Crimes Legislation
Published November 24, 2009 @ 07:02AM PT
The FBI just released statistics documenting hate-motivated violence for last year, and their numbers show a rapid increase in the number of hate crimes committed based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
In all, the FBI notes that 1,706 victims of hate crimes in 2008 were targeted solely because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. And that right there provides at least 1,706 reasons why it was absolutely critical for President Obama to sign hate crimes legislation into law earlier this Fall. That figure is an eleven percent increase in the number of hate crimes committed based on sexual orientation and gender identity from the previous year, and caps off a three-year period where hate crimes committed toward LGBT folks have continued to rise.
The Matthew Shepard Foundation, which fought for more than ten years to pass expanded hate crimes laws, said that while statistics can be complicated, the increase in violent crime committed toward LGBT people can't be ignored.
"While it is important to respect the cautions voiced by statistical analysts, the continuing, steady emergence of extremely violent anti-LGBT hate crimes in recent weeks also argues in favor of taking the increase seriously and redoubling prevention efforts," said Jason Marsden, Executive Director of the Matthew Shepard Foundation.
First Queer Arabic Book Coming to California
Published November 23, 2009 @ 04:51PM PT
Bareed Mista3jil, meaning express mail, isn't just the first queer Lebanese book ever published -- it's also the first queer Arabic book, period, to be published
A compilation of anonymous personal narratives from Lebanese LBTQ women of all social classes and religions, Bareed Mista3jil addresses coming out, religion, family, emigration, abuse, and activism. MEEM, an activist and support group for Lebanese LBTQ women, publicly released the book at the Al Madina Theater in Beirut last May, attracting an audience of 400 people.
MEEM organizer Shant (who declined to give her full name) described the book as a big step for Lebanese LGBTs.
"We can actually talk about our experiences and show that they touch more than just the lesbian community," she said.
Shant reports a lot of positive feedback for the book, which is sold at Virgin Megastores in Lebanon, and MEEM is already planning a fourth reprint to keep up with demand.
It's not surprising that the first queer Arabic book debuted in Beirut, given that Lebanon is known for having a relatively free press (compared with other Arab nations) and a liberal capital city. However, queer activists in Lebanon still have their work cut out for them. Homosexuality is sometimes punished under a law banning "sexual acts against nature," so coming out is not always safe or even possible (hence the anonymity of Bareed Mista3jil's writers).
An Openly Gay Lt. Governor? And He's a Republican!
Published November 23, 2009 @ 06:57AM PT
The Republican Party in Massachusetts is certainly a little different than the wing of the Republican Party that nationally celebrates banning gay marriage and worries that hate crimes laws are one of the signs of the end of days. An example? The GOP's candidate for governor in the Bay State, Charlie Baker, just picked an openly gay legislator to serve as his running mate.
Baker chose State Sen. Richard Tisei to be his running mate via Twitter, sending an announcement that certainly qualifies as breaking news, if not earthquake-inducing news. Sen. Tisei came out last week in an article in the Boston Globe.
"Want you to be the first to know: I’ve chosen State Senator Richard Tisei as my running mate. Excited about this team," Baker said in less than 140 characters. Twitter makes history again, this time by informing the masses that a Republican could be responsible for breaking a glass ceiling.
Chaz Bono Says that Gender is Between Your Ears, Not Between Your Legs
Published November 23, 2009 @ 05:58AM PT
Chaz Bono might be the most famous transgender person in the world. But despite the public scrutiny that comes with being born to two rock legends -- Sonny Bono and Cher -- Chaz Bono is living through the process of transitioning from female to male with an eye toward what his experience could mean to thousands of people struggling with or questioning their own gender identity.
"To me, gender is between your ears and not between your legs," Bono said on Good Morning America, adding that since childhood he always identified more with men than women. "I'm not looking [at being a campaigner] but I struggled a lot getting here. If by being public about it other people can see this and not struggle quite as much as I did, then I'm really happy to do that. If I can help make things easier legislation wise, then I'm happy to do that."
That legislation comment is certainly relevant to a bill being debated in Congress right now that would make it illegal for employers to discriminate based on sexual orientation or gender identity. The Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) is likely the next piece of LGBT legislation to be voted on in Congress, and while it stands a very good chance in the U.S. House (it passed there in 2007, albeit without a gender identity provision), its outlook in the U.S. Senate is a little more murky. ENDA has never faced a vote in the U.S. Senate, though a cursory count of the Senate shows that the bill stands a good chance of passing.
Chaz's story is certainly one of the best opportunities yet, it seems, to create some public awareness about transgender and gender identity issues. That he's willing to help legislatively only bodes well for the future of ENDA.
Will Catholic Bishops Start Denying Communion to Gay Marriage Supporters?
Published November 22, 2009 @ 01:53PM PT
U.S. Catholic Bishops have made a giant leap toward using Communion as their next political weapon, with Rhode Island's bishop telling Rep. Patrick Kennedy that he is no longer welcome to receive Communion during Mass at any church in the entire state. The move by Bishop Thomas Tobin follows through on previous threats by many U.S. Catholic bishops that they would ban pro-choice and pro-gay politicians from partaking in one of the Church's most important sacraments.
Rep. Kennedy told the Providence Journal that Bishop Tobin has been targeting him for years by threatening to withhold Communion, mostly for his support for reproductive rights. Bishop Tobin finally followed through with those threats, in a move that's being seen by many as the politicization of a Church practice that's supposed to be seen as the epitome of peace.
"The bishop instructed me not to take communion and said that he has instructed the diocesan priests not to give me communion," Kennedy said.
Today happens to be the 46th anniversary of the assassination of his uncle, President John F. Kennedy, the nation's only Catholic head of state. What a difference four decades make in reshaping Catholic identity. Back then Catholics celebrated President Kennedy's leadership. Today, Kennedy and his family would be told by many bishops that they're not welcome to the table.
The Gay Games and the Changing Face of Equality in Ohio
Published November 22, 2009 @ 07:36AM PT
When Cleveland, Ohio was awarded the 2014 Gay Games earlier this fall, the city beat out two east coast rivals -- Boston and Washington, D.C. -- that many saw as much more progressive on LGBT rights issues.
By their very nature, the Gay Games are going to cause a swarm of attention on the city of Cleveland, leaving many wondering if the 2014 Gay Games will change the face of equality in Ohio. Organizers are saying that around 20,000 athletes will drop down in Cleveland for the Games, bringing with them estimates of 200,000 fans and spectators, making it the largest event the region has ever hosted.
In terms of sheer size, those crowd numbers would be like having two National Equality Marches right in the city of Cleveland. Turnout like that would certainly transform the city -- both for the week of the Games, and beyond. And they may provide an organizing catalyst for activists in the Buckeye State to carry forward some really great gains made for equality in a region that was long thought to be a solid part of red America.
